1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for generating a stereoscopic file.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, standards for a file format used to store a two-dimensional (2D) image have been known, whereas a standard for a file format used to store a three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic image has not yet been known.
In general, the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), which is an international standardization organization related to multimedia, has been standardizing MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MPEG-7 and MPEG-21, since its first standardization of MPEG-1 in 1988. As a variety of standards have been developed in this way, a need to generate one profile by combining different standard technologies has arisen. In response to this need, MPEG-A (MPEG Application: ISO/ICE 230000) multimedia application standardization activities have been carried out. In a multimedia application format (MAF) that is one of MPEG-A activities, non-MPEG standards as well as the conventional MPEG standards are also combined so that the utilization value of the standard can be enhanced. In this way, already verified standard technologies can be easily combined without any further efforts to set up a separate standard, thereby developing the MAF and maximizing the efficiency value thereof.
A technology of displaying a 3D image has been actively developed in order to display more realistic image information. A method of displaying a 3D image, which includes scanning a left view image and a right view image for respective corresponding locations of a conventional display device according to human visual characteristics, separating left and right views to correspond to left and right eyes of a viewer, and displaying an image as a 3D stereoscopic image is regarded as being applicable in various respects.
For example, a portable terminal, which is embedded with a barrier Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), reproduces stereoscopic content and provides a user with a more realistic image. In the present invention, the stereoscopic content includes 3D image data, which may be referred to as a stereoscopic file, or stereoscopic data. Also, the monoscopic content includes a 2D image data, which may be referred to as monoscopic data.
A general media file includes data regarding a single image, whereas the stereoscopic file includes left view image data and right view image data and information regarding a 3D display. However, a file format used to store and reproduce the stereoscopic file has not yet been standardized.